Insulated pipe terminal



Aug- 9, 1949 T. F. M. WILLIAMSON 2,478,552

INSULATED PIPE TERMINAL Filed Deo. 8, 1945 Patented Aug. 9, i949 INSULAT i;l) PIPE TERMINAL 'Thomas F. M. Williamson, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Alexander H. Isenberg, Woodside,

Calif.

Application December 8, 1945,;A Seria! No 633m? 1 This invention Arelates to encased thermally insulated pipe such as used for steam, hot water, or other hot iiuids, or cold gases or fluids, wherein the expansion and contraction of the encased pipes, especially in long runs, requires the use of expansion joints cr special construction at one or both ends oi the run of encased pipe.

The principal object of the invention is to provide for linear expansion of such insulated pipe ends or terminals in buildings o r manholes while sealing the pipe run 'againstY the ingress oi water or moist vapors to the thermal insulation. @ther features and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description and in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings;-

Fig. l is a lcngitudinal cross section of athermally insulated encased pipe terminal or end projecting through av concrete wall and equipped with a sealed Flexible diaphragm member to permit elongation and contraction of the inner pipe which conveys the fluid.

Fig. 2 shows a modicaton of the construction Vof Fig. l using three Vflexible diaphragme in the form of a short bellows.

Fig. 3 shows a construction substantially @like that of Fig. 2 but showing a longer sealing bellows,

5 Claims. (Cl. 13S-,47)

2 Y poured in rnolten form and allowed to solidify to form a waterproofing envelope or seal against water or moisture troni the exterior gaining access to the thermal insulation.

To insure la firm support for the pipe within the casing any form of supporting spacers ymay be used between the insulation 5 and the interior of the casi-ng, as is all Well known construction, tho iprefer 'to use a sheet metal spacing ring 3 or band formedy at'intervalsV with radially eX- tending legs Q'to touchY the inner-'surface of the casing, and while such bands 'maybe used at intervals embracing the insulation o, I prefer to mount each spacer band in tightly embracing relation to a preformed collar i@ of relatively firm thermal insulating material which may be and also one which ls separable from the pipe s and/or its casing. o

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the line i-l of Fig. 1 showing one form of spacing spider ier maintaining the central thermally insulated pipe .concentric within the outer casing to receive the asphalt or tar lling.

'In furtherrdetail, l isa concrete wall as ef a manhole or building wail through Which-the pipe 2 is to pass from a run to a nal inner end 2 Within the manhole or basement of a building, and where the extreme end of the .pipe `is 4beveled off as at '3, or threaded, -lorweiling or otherwise suitably ccn-nec-tingto any desired device Aor sliding stung box member -not shown.

APipe 42 is generally -of -m-etal and is shown concentrically disposed within ,anV outer casing d which is lpreferably of galvanized sheet metal of several times the diameter oi the pipe 2, Aand the latter -is shown entirely surrounded with a thick layer of any approved type of thermal insulation, preferably such as the conventional magnesia steam pipe oloch insulation 5 which is fitted around the pipe in the well known way and preferably wrapped with one or more layers of cloth 6 as well understood, while between this insulation and the inner surface of the casing i is a slipped overthe pipe -2 occasionally at the ends of the magnesiapipe covering sections. f

Preferably the block insulation 5k terminates a short distance within the end of the casing t and the asphalt 1 terminates at about the same place o r somewhat short of the insulation as shown in the drawings, and outward of this is a thiol; filling ouf a thermal insulation ll packed in loose yor preferably in paste form to harden, and which covers the ends of the asphalt layer 'l as well as the end of the steam pipe covering 5. n

Before putting in this end covering 'insulation i l. a Sheet metal tube 12 in :Fie l., H3 in ,Fie-.2., and; it in Fig. 3) vis fitted telescopically over the end of the Gesine i and Welded, breeder .soldered thereto to make a sea-led joint therewith, `as in-V @Heated .at l5, and with the Ced 0i" lhs tub@ PIO- J'eiee outwardly beyond the end 9i the @eine i to floris .Substantial-.1y .an ,integral extension if the ,Gesine berend the insulaieft and which it mayetuallrbe Yii'.fleeireili' f :In Fiel 1. the @Meeting .eed gf the tube l2 .is Closed by ,a seriele' .diaphragm i i preferably of this .Sheet metal and crimped and saldare@ bremer welded eioimdits margin. i0 ,ferm .e terminally Sealed Joint Il with the tube, weile adjacent the center of the diaphragm -is a hul) 0.1' .flange .Wr/sided@ otherwiseiliermeiieellr Sealed@ the eine 2 etti! .T hiseeee .ii ,may be integrally farmed with er.einigt-1y.{semis-nfl 'to the diaphragm.

The concrete wall I, or at least the portion of it through which the casing extends, is cast in place around the assemblage substantially as shown in the drawings and holds the casing rigid, while the pipe 2 is free to expand and contract linearly through its thermal insulation while fles:u ing the diaphragm i6 which maintains the entire Solid filling of asphalt, tar, or pitch 1 preferably 55 inner area between the pipe and casings hermet- 3 Y ically sealed against any water or moisture gaining access thereto from the basement or manhole end, while the tube I2 being autogenously sealed at its end to the casing likewise prevents any water getting through from the outer wall side or through the concrete, tho of course it is presumed the concrete is also made as watertight as practicable and usually outside tarred as well when possible. In the variation shown in Fig. 2 the single d1- aphragm of Fig. 1 is replaced with three annular metal diaphragms 2l, 22, 23 arranged in the form of a bellows and with the periphery of 2l secured to the tube I3 and central iiange 24 of 23 secured to the pipe, in the manner as described for Fig. 1 and numbered as at I1 and I9, it being understood that the meeting margins of the bellows members are similarly hermetically united. In this showing a removable protector tube or shell-like housing 25 surrounds the bellows and is `provided with a flange 26 at one end secured to the concrete wall as by studs 21 and is provided with a closed outer end 25 through which the pipe 2 may freely slide.

In the variation shown in Fig. 3 the parts are all as described for Fig. 2 except that the metal bellows (indicated in Fig. 3) as 28 is shown with quite a number of folds and is detachably secured at one end to the casing structure as by bolts 29 and detachably secured at its other end to the pipe 2 as by bolts 30.

In this construction the opposite ends of the iiexible bellows are respectively soldered or welded to relatively thick disks 3l, 32 which are secured by the bolts mentioned to flanges 33, 34 respectively welded to pipe 2 and tube I4. In this construction tube I4 is shown conical for part of its length and to the outer end of which flange 34 is Welded as at I9. Suitable gasket rings, 35 and 36, lpreferably of 'copper or soft metal, or of the type used in automobile engine heads, are interposed between the disks 3I and 32 and their bolting flanges. A covering housing 3'I similar Fig. 1 as well as the multiple fonn of Figs. 2 and 3. Also the word "welded where used, is intended to include soldering, brazing, or autogenous sealing of any kind.

I claim:

1. In combination with an externally thermally insulated pipe spacedly surrounded by a tubular metal casing with the space filled with sealing pitch and with the pipe projecting out of one end of the casing, flexible diaphragm Vmeans through which the pipe extends, and

means forming a sealed joint between the outer margin of said flexible diaphragm means and said metal casing, means forming a sealed joint between the pipe and said diaphragm means, and a wall through vwhich said casing extends and is locked against movement, and a housing extending 'from said wall surrounding said diaphragm means.

2. In a structure as set out in claim 1 said diaphragm means being in the form of a metal bellows Welded to said casing and to said pipe.

3. In combination with an insulated pipe comprising a pipe with a covering of heat insulation, a layer of Waterproofing surrounding the heat insulation, and aA tubular casing enclosing the waterproofing, a closure of heat insulation at the end of the casing covering the end of the layer of waterproofing, said pipe extending out beyond said closure and casing, and a flexible diaphragm device sealed at its outer margin with said casing, and said pipe passing through said diaphragm device and means sealing it thereto, all whereby said pipe may expand linearly relative to said casing with said diaphragm device maintaining the area between the casing and pipe hermetically sealed.

4. In the construction as set out in claim 3 there being a tubular extension section of said casing to that shown at 25 in Fig. 2, surrounds the belf lows, but instead of being secured to the concrete wall, is extended over the tube I4 and welded thereto as at I9'.

While the structure of Fig. 3 provides for a sliding bellows which may be applied or removed after the pipe terminal has been installed, it is manifest that the gasket joints may be permanently welded if desired.

In use of the structures above described it is manifest that since the expansion and contraction effect depends on the length of the pipe runs, as well as the degree of temperature changes to which the pipe is subjected, that the most suitable arrangement shown in the drawings should be used to meet the requirements, and that while in most installations one end of the run may be anchored or fixed, yet in some cases both ends of a run may be equipped with the improvement shown herein.

In my appended claims the words diaphragm device or diaphragm means are intended to include the single form of diaphragm shown in welded to the casing and to the outer end of which casing section said diaphragm device is sealed.

5. In the construction as set out in claim 3 there being a tubular extension section of said casing welded to the casing and to the outer end of which casing section said diaphragm device is sealed, and a housing for said diaphragm device surrounding the outer portion of the casing extension and said diaphragm device.

THOMAS F. M. WILLIAMSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Han Feb. 26, 1935 Miner May 1c, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Sept. 16, 1938 Number Number 

